RSV Vaccines Released as Childhood Cases Spike

More vaccines are being released for infants suffering from respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, as cases spike in some parts of the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says a recently-approved monoclonal antibody will be distributed to physicians and hospitals to help protect against the disease.

From the CDC:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to provide options for clinicians to protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the context of a limited supply of nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody immunization product recommended for preventing RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease in infants.

RSV is a common cause of respiratory infection in U.S. infants, most of whom are infected with RSV during their first year of life (1, 2). RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization among U.S. infants (3). The highest incidence of RSV-associated hospitalization occurs in infants aged <3 months and then decreases with increasing age (4). Because of the high incidence of severe RSV disease in the first months of life, RSV prevention products focus on passive immunization of young infants through maternal immunization or immunoprophylaxis with monoclonal antibodies.